Metaverse and the Future Classrooms
Stuid
The Covid-19 hit the world disrupting human lives and livelihoods. The pandemic caused immense loss of human lives and brought about an economic burden of unknown proportions to nations across the globe. The Covid-19 induced lockdowns were authoritarian and uncompromising to the core. The education industry was among the worst affected during the pandemic. 91 percent of the education started happening online. Teachers had to rely on Zoom and Google Meet for communicating with their students. While people gradually started coming to terms with the new reality, students worldwide started missing their classrooms and friends like never before! But the Metaverse holds a new future for them!
Metaverse is a futuristic 3D virtual world. Users can experience the ‘metaverse’ with the help of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)- based headsets. It’s nothing like what we have seen so far! Metaverse is bigger in scale, connectivity and interoperability. In a metaverse, a person can create his most advanced ‘avatar’ with the help of social networks and user generated content.
An ‘Avatar’ is a graphical representation of a user or his character or persona.
The ‘metaverse’ trend is fast catching up! A 56 percent rise was registered in the global sales of AR/VR headsets between 2017-2021. Ofcourse, developed nations have been the torchbearers of the metaverse! For example, South Korea has introduced a five-year plan for recreating its public services and cultural events in the metaverse.
“Metaverse isn’t a thing a company builds. It’s the next chapter of the internet overall.”
– Mark Zuckerberg
The ‘Metaverse’ impact on learning
Virtual Campus
As we all know, ‘learning’ has already moved beyond the four walls of classrooms. These days, learning is mostly interdisciplinary and application based.
Metaverse provides the opportunity for experiencing a virtual campus life. It will allow the students to virtually experience their school/university environment.
In September 2023, the Kenya-KAIST virtual campus (located 60 kms away from Nairobi) will bring its students together in a ‘metaverse’. The students will not have to leave their countries while attending the classes.
Holistic learning
Metaverse will help in providing holistic, boundless learning. It becomes ideal for future learning as schools these days are largely focusing on project based learning.
For example, in a 3D metaverse, a student will get to experience the culture, history and geography of a place while trying to solve a mathematics problem! The metaverse aims at enabling students to derive a ‘deeper meaning’ of the things they learn and focuses on developing extraordinary problem solving skills in them.
Learner centered
In the 21st century, education aims at empowering students to be innovators in a constantly changing world. Metaverse gives them the freedom to learn and experiment. It allows them to create their own ‘avatar’ and travel effortlessly from one platform to another.
Probably in a metaverse, students will have the opportunity for interacting with world leaders and working closely with famous scientists while working on a project related to sustainable development goals.
The ever changing role of a teacher
Over the years, education has become more learner driven and data oriented. Our teachers shall prepare themselves for the future.
Teachers of the future shall be data collectors, analysts, planners, collaborators, curriculum experts, problem-solvers and researchers.
Plethora of options
In a metaverse, students will have immense learning possibilities. They can learn different subjects from institutions across the globe. The extensive exposure will make them better prepared for a futuristic world.
In a metaverse, students will be able to access Ivy League education from the comfort of their homes. They can also gain adequate experience by doing internships in the top companies in the world.
‘Metaverse’ and its endless possibilities
‘Metaverse’ isn’t an odd world! Around 140 million people worldwide have already played games like Minecraft and over 350 million have played Fortnite. The gamified, collaborative and task-oriented virtual learning makes ‘metaverse’ the way forward ..
It is the best opportunity for educators and education technology providers for providing advanced learning experience to their learners.
So let’s brace ourselves, as ‘Metaverse’ gets ready to take over the learning ecosystem!
Read more : The importance of mental health
Check your knowledge
Metaverse is a futuristic 3D virtual world. Users can experience the ‘metaverse’ with the help of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR)- based headsets.
An ‘Avatar’ is a graphical representation of a user or his character or persona.
Virtual Reality